Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Blast from the Past

While I was searching and searching for my birthday perfume selection (or selections...clearly for years to come, with that list), I found this: Demi Jour by Houbigant. I had completely forgotten that I used to wear this, but the minute I saw the picture of it on Imagination Perfumery, I about fell out of my chair. Created in 1988, Demi Jour has notes of bergamot, aldehydes, greens, violet, rose, orris, lily of the valley, jasmine, ylang-ylang, heliotrope, musk, moss, sandalwood, cedarwood. To be completely honest, I don't remember how it smells. It certainly sounds pretty, and I'm positive that I used the entire bottle. I may even have owned more than one, because I seem to remember a disappointing change in the cap on my second one.

I am sure I picked this fragrance out myself, and I know exactly why: the bottle, and the picture of the rose on the box. Although at times in my life I may have pretended it wasn't so, I was and always have been a very girly-girl (er, uh, woman). I know I took one look at that bottle and just had to have it sitting on the 1940s French provincial dressing table I had in my bedroom when I was first on my own in college. I was also (why am I using past tense?) crazy for roses. I doubt I had any idea what was actually in the perfume...probably I thought it was just a rose fragrance, nothing else. Imagine what a fanatic I would have been had I known about Parfums de Rosine then! Forget college...buy perfume!

I'm so curious now to know how Demi Jour smells. I wonder, if I bought a bottle and opened it, sprayed it on my wrist and sniffed, what memories would rush back to me, what forgotten faces, what times I had. Part of me is also a little afraid of sniffing it now. What if it's horrible? The notes sound pretty enough, and I seriously doubt it could be anywhere near as bad as the fruity poison they're serving up as perfume these days. Besides, we all must be kind to our younger selves. We're all we have.

If nothing else, I'd have another pretty bottle to admire, no? How about you out there...ever been disappointed or reawakened by an old perfume love?

(P.S. If anyone else is curious, Demi Jour is still for sale at several online discount perfumers.)